The Truth About Love
by MelodyPond77
Summary: A collection of katie bell/Oliver wood one-shots for various competitions on HPFC
1. Chapter 1

**For the Pairing War Competition and the Het vs. Slash Competition (both have Kallie as the pairing, HvS prompt of twilight). **

I slammed into the boy's locker rooms, startling Diggory as he changed his shirt by his locker. Somewhere, deep inside the changing rooms, the showers were running. All the others had changed quickly and hurried up to make sure Harry was alright. All but one.

Stupid, _stupid _Oliver Wood.

"Uh..Bell? Did you need something?" Diggory asked as he yanked his shirt down over his rock hard abs. Not that I even noticed them at the time. I was too focused on Oliver to give much more than a rat's arse about the Hufflepuff Seeker.

"Is he back there?" My voice was distant, polite, and Cedric was too stunned to do any more then just nod and point in the direction of the showers. I started towards them, then stopped and looked pointedly at Diggory.

"Er, right. I'll just go then," he mumbled awkwardly, grabbing his bag and hurrying out. The door shut with a heavy thud, and then we were alone.

I looked over at the showers. Merlin, the boy must be a mess to be spending _this _long under the water. Even _I _didn't take this long, and I was a girl who loved showers.

Sighing, I set off. No one else was going to do it, and the faster I could get him to stop drowning himself, the faster I could get out of these wet clothes. It was still pouring rain down in the twilit sky outside.

"OLIVER!" I stopped outside the shower curtain, hands on hips.

There was no reply.

"OLIVER WOOD!"

Silence.

"OLIVER DOUGAL WOOD, IF YOU DON'T TURN THAT WATER OFF IN FIVE SECONDS I'M COMING IN!"

The water shut off, and slowly, the curtain slid open.

Oliver was sitting on the ground of the shower, his arms bent around his knees like a child's, and his outer Quidditch Robe puddled on the ground behind him. Other than that, he hadn't managed to get out of his uniform, and it sat plastered to his skin, his thin shirt showing off the rock hard abs beneath it.

Not that I was noticing, of course. Because that would be weird.

"Oliver. Stop the pity party. Get up, get dressed, and come up to the Hospital Wing with me. You should be there."

He just shrugged pitifully, and I could feel a ball of anger coiling in my gut. The stupid boy had an unconscious team member, and all he could think about was _Quidditch?! _

"Oliver...," I slid down to the wet ground of the shower, scooting close to him and resting a concerned hand on his arm. "Come on. It's not too late to win the Quidditch Cup. You know that it isn't. I'm sure you've already figured out the stats in your head, but if Ravenclaw beats Hufflepuff and Slytherin beats Ravenclaw, we could play in the finals. And if we get to the finals, we can win this thing. You know it's true," I added, nudging him. He wasn't moving, just sitting like a statue, and I was getting a little worried. Had I been talking to a dead person the entire time?

"Ollie, please say something," I whispered, reverting to the nickname I had called him when we were younger. It was a low blow, but I could usually get him to respond to that.

He sighed, before freeing his arm and putting it around me, crushing me against him. "I just feel so bad, you know? This has been my dream since my first year on the team. And maybe I've been a little obsessive with winning the Cup, but I want it so bad, and not just for me. I want it for you, and Ange and Leesh, and I want it for those damn Weasley twins and little Harry. It's all of us, and the fact that I can't give that to you guys makes me feel... worthless."

I hugged him closer, not even caring that he was getting me soaked to the bone. "Oh, Ollie, please. We all love you so much. Sure, you're a bit maniacal with your practices sometimes, but we know you're the best Captain we could ever ask to have. And I'm not just saying that because you've been my best friend since I was 4, I'm being honest. You're the best thing that's every happened to us. Even if we don't win the Cup, you'll still mean the world to me."

I could feel him chuckle a bit, and then my head slipped off his shoulder a bit when he sighed. "I just wished I could bring the win to my Puddlemere tryouts. I want to be on their team so bad, Katie... Sometimes I think that if I don't get in, I'm going to off myself," he whispered, and I sat up in shock. I looked at him, really looked at him, to see if he was joking.

He didn't look like he was.

And so, I did the only thing a best friend could do: I slapped him hard across the face.

"Don't you _ever _even _dare _to try and off yourself, or I will follow you, drag you back to the world of the living and lock you in a room, wandless, with the Weasley twins!" I hissed, before yanking away from him and dragging the bemused Oliver up to his feet. _  
><em>

"Now, come on. We're going to go make sure Harry's fine. And then, we're going to practice the hardest we ever have before."


	2. Chapter 2

**WC: 2,914**

_16 October, 2014_

**Hogwarts: **Charms Class: _Concealment, Hiding, Uncovered, I won't give up, jason mraz_

**Costume Party:** guess a wild character's name while it was guessed (it was the girl, but I blanked the guy and the best friend to make it less obvious)

**Pairing Comp War: **a certain pairing, who is mentioned at the bottom to avoid giving away the secret. :)

**Classic Disney Challenge: **Pocahontas (She's also noble, free-spirited, wise, and kind. So alternatively, write about someone like so.)

**Fairy Tale Competition: **Bluebeard (write about someone finding out another person hid important info from her)

**Pride and Prejudice Challenge: **No kissing until they get together.

**Seven Deadly Sins: **wrath

**Disney Character Challenge: **March Hare (write a scene where someone is serving tea)

Inspired by "If You Ever Come Back" by the Script

* * *

><p>The familiar leather handle of my trunk seemed to slip in my palm as I stood there, waiting. Unsure of whether I should use the ticket or not. The anger that had strengthened me when I'd stormed from our flat was gone now, sated. I knew he wasn't cheating on me. I mean, really, where would that come from anyways? That man was so oblivious to anything other than Quidditch he wouldn't have seen another woman.<p>

He rarely even saw me.

Maybe that's what had led me to stand here at a Muggle train station. The fact that his practices got longer and longer and he'd gotten quieter and quieter. He was thoughtful, didn't pay attention when were together, always preoccupied.

Maybe I'd left to avoid him breaking up with me. Because that's who I am, the girl who can never get hurt, emotionally, the spunky one who's always one step ahead of the game. The spontaneous one who shrugs off problems with a temper tantrum or a sunny smile.

The girl who was too scared to let anyone in. The girl who worried what people thought of her, living with a boy three years older than her, when they'd only been dating for a year. The girl who was so scared her boyfriend was going to break up with her that she accused him of cheating and left.

The girl who abandoned him. Her best friend.

A tear slipped down my cheek, and I brushed it away angrily, covering my face to hide the pain. I was angry at him again - no, I was angry at _me,_ furious at my stupidity and my rash anger. Why did I always have to be so _stupid?!_ He hadn't done anything wrong, and I knew that. I just couldn't allow myself to think of any other possibility.

The train came in then, and it stopped before me, it's doors sliding open invitingly. A conductor jumped down to help people with their trunks, and he beckoned to mine, not taking it when my hand tightened around it involuntarily.

"Last call! All aboard!" He called, glancing at me one last time.

I had to make my decision. Either give up and go home, back to my parents, or go back. Go back to him, suck up my Gryffindor pride, and apologize.

I couldn't go back. Not after what I'd done. I couldn't. But...

I couldn't get on that train either. I couldn't give up on him, on _us,_ just yet. There was only one thing left to do.

I sighed before turning on my heel and allowing myself to be swallowed into the darkness.

* * *

><p>She left me.<p>

It's been two hours since she screamed at me, "I hate you", filled with an anger and a burning passion that only she could possess. I'd only ever seen it directed at Slytherins, like Marcus Flint or Montague or Draco Malfoy, but never at me.

It's been two hours since she left, and I still haven't moved. Everything's the same.

Her cardigan lying on the back of the chair. The mussed up bed that neither of us ever got around to making.

Her hair brush, lying snapped in half on the floor from where she threw it at me when I came in this morning.

All entirely the same.

I hadn't slept since she left, even though I really should have. I'd skived off practice the day before to travel, told them I'd had a family crisis, and once I got to where I was going, I did my business and headed back in. It took me hours by Muggle train, then another few hours to actually _find _the bloody place, then another train ride home. I didn't get back home until dawn, and I could only hope I'd be able to formulate some excuse as to why I hadn't come home.

If only my blasted muggle phone hadn't died. If only there weren't so many muggles around, so I could send a Patronus message.

If only she hadn't walked out.

Finally, my stomach won over my shock, and I headed to the kitchen to make some breakfast.

Bacon, eggs, cheese, tortilla. It was a day to make an omelet.

She loved omelets.

Lost in thought, I didn't even notice I had set a spot for her until I sat down in my place, right across from her place. The empty plate shone white at me, reminding me of everything I had just lost.

The glass gleamed crystal, and I couldn't help but hope. She'd come back, and when she did, I'd have a smile on my face and a pot of tea on the stovetop, just ready for her. As if she'd never left.

I pushed my food aside, not hungry anymore, and rested my head on the cool countertop, allowing the tears to come to me then.

I couldn't even bear to eat without her.

* * *

><p>"Hey, sweetheart, lighten up! Everything's going to be fine," my best friend said, and she gave me a hug. Ginny came to the other side, smiling sympathetically.<p>

"Darling, he wronged you. He cheated on you! The bastard," she muttered under her breath.

I couldn't take that anymore. I burst into tears, and Hermione and Ginny looked shocked. My best friend just wrapped her arms around me and let me sob.

"Hush, love, tell us. He didn't cheat, did he?"

"N-n-no, n-not th-that I kn-know of. I thought he did, b-because he was gone all d-day and all n-night without calling me and I just got mad and s-spat the worst thing out of my mouth... I can't go back there, though! He'd hate me!"

My three girlfriends didn't know what to say to that.

"Hey, love, you're okay. People make mistakes. You accused him wrongly, so all you need to do is just go apologize. Don't lose him because you're scared. He loves you. More than Quidditch even. He's probably there trying to get over you and failing miserably," Hermione said, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder.

"Yea, darling, you're meant to be with him. He'll be so happy you're back he won't even care why you left. Sure, you're going to have to talk about it and work out whatever _this _is," here she waved a hand distastefully at my sweat suit clad body, the box of tissues clutched in hand and my red eyes, "but every couple has their ups and downs. Hell, Harry and I had a fight a couple nights ago, and we just blew up at each other. But afterwards, we both admitted we were in the wrong, and we made it up. It'll be the same with the two of you. Try to move past this, dear. You can do it. He loves you, and it's clear this attempt to move on is rubbish. You _so _love him back."

I laughed through my tears. The girls were so sweet. I was sorry I'd not gotten to know Hermione too well before the end of the war; she was Harry's friend, and she rarely came to our practices. But when you're a Healer for the Harpies, you see Ginny Weasley quite a lot, and where Ginny is, you're bound to see Hermione, too. Put the two of them along with my best friend of eleven years, and I had a nice support group.

I just wished I had no need of their support. I just needed him.

* * *

><p><em>I knock on the door, nerves coursing through my body as I ruffle my hair with a hand. Hundreds of miles away, Puddlemere is doing drills, ending practice for the day soon. I wonder how mad Coach will be at me for skiving off practice, but I don't care. This is too important. <em>

_Her mum answers the door, curiosity written across her face. _

_"Hello? Who are you?" _

_"Hi, I know we haven't met before, but I'm hoping your daughter's told you of me. I'm her boyfriend..."_

_The scene changes, and I'm in her parent's living room. All around I see pictures, ones of her when she was gap-toothed and six years old, her chubby arms wrapped around a border collie. A picture of her in her Hogwarts robes, eleven years old, blonde and filled with energy, excitement written across her face. You can tell so easily, even though the picture didn't move. _

_And the one, front and center on their mantle, of her and her parents, she in her graduation robes and they looking wide-eyed and shocked at the magic around them. She has one just like it, on our mantle. _

_I sit down, in front of her parents. _

_"I'm sorry you've never met me before. We've been trying to find a time to visit each other's families, but after the war, well, everyone's still trying to rebuild. But I wanted to ask your permission, before I did anything else."_

_I swallow, clenching my hands together nervously. Her parents are silent. Her mum looks at me closely, looking like she's trying to fight back a smile, and her dad looks wary. Maybe they know what I'm trying to do. _

_The thought, somehow, makes me feel a bit better. I gather my courage and continue to speak. _

_"I've known your daughter since she was eleven years old and kicking a Slytherin boy three times her size in the shins with vigor. We've been friends, close friends, ever since she joined the Quidditch team, and we stayed in touch after I left Hogwarts, but I never realized how I felt about her until she had to go into hiding, just because she was a Muggleborn. I've never been so scared in my life as I was for her that year, and when it was finally over and I found out she was alive, I... well, I was the happiest man alive in that moment. And then I almost lost her during the Final Battle again, but we got through it, and survived. _

_"And all of that, that entire war, has made me realize that I can't imagine a life without her. I know it's soon, and I know we're young, but I don't really see a reason to wait, and it's a lot more common in the wizarding world than the muggle world. But I wanted to ask your permission to... to marry your daughter." _

_Her parents stare at me, this boy, this man they've never met before. Finally, when I think her father is going to punch the breath out of me, her mum smiles widely and gives me a giant hug. _

_"Oh, yes, of course! You have my blessing!" _

_I look to her father, and he grudgingly nods. _

_When they see me out the door a little while later, I'm grinning so hugely, I feel like I'm walking on air. _

And then I wake up. She isn't here - I've rolled over in my sleep and wound up on her side again. I've done that every night for the past week. I can't get her out of my mind, my dreams, even though everyone tells me she isn't coming back. George, Percy, Bill - they say she's not coming back, that I have to give her space and time if I ever want to see her again.

They think I cheated on her, but I didn't. And still they insist.

But, so many things have been wrong before. Muggleborns don't steal magic. The world isn't flat. The moon isn't made out of cheese. All these were disproven.

So the statement that she's not coming back to me? I'll disprove that as well.

I'll leave my wards down for her, the key under the mat. The light's still on over the porch, just in case. If she ever comes back, I'll be ready with a smile and her favorite tea.

Because I know she will. I love her, and she loves me, and she'll come back to me.

She has to.

Doesn't she?

* * *

><p>"I can't do this anymore, Angie. I can't hate him."<p>

"I honestly don't know why you hate him, darling. He's done nothing wrong."

"He's been gone more than he's been there! He went missing, no phone call, no patronus, no nothing, for an entire day and night! And now you tell me he wasn't at practice that day, either," I spat, anger rising in me again. It seemed that was all I could do nowadays, cry and be angry.

"That's because he was _visiting your parents!" _Angie yelled, turning on me. I'd never seen my friend so mad.

"Merlin, you can be so _stupid _sometimes. He asked me to cover for him at practice so he could take a six hour train ride to your parents home to meet them."

"But...why? Why couldn't he just wait for me to introduce them myself? I would've done it sooner or later!"

Angie gave me a look. "What possible reason could you come up with? He's been coming home later than usual, looking at you funny, staring off into space, acting preoccupied. Then he goes and visits your parents. He spends all day traveling, then spends all night traveling back so he can be with you. Why would he go through such great lengths just to say hi to your mum and dad?"

I sat holding my tea, my body numb. "I don't understand, Ange. How do you know all this?"

She sighed. "I promised I wouldn't tell you, but you're one of my best friends, and he's my team mate. Your break up makes his playing shit and you moody, so it's time I stepped in. I know what he was doing all that time. I can tell you everything."

My heart started pounding as Angie opened her mouth, and the story poured forth.

* * *

><p>I had a pot of tea on the stove, simmering, waiting for the water boil, my mind off in space with her, when I heard the door open.<p>

I thought I'd imagined it. The door was quiet, and downstairs, and I'd spent so often checking outside to see if she was coming home, I often thought I imagined the doorbell.

I didn't imagine the feminine voice that said, "Hello? Are you here?"

I sat bolt upright, tea forgotten.

She came back.

"Angie told me everything."

I nodded, slowly descending the stairs. I knew she would.

"She even said she helped you out. And she said where you were last week."

I stayed silent to let her collect thoughts for a moment.

"In short, she told me everything. And I... I realize now, I've been a right-" She broke off with a sob.

It was like magnetics; I hurried towards her, she hurried towards me, neither of us able to resist. She flung herself into my arms, and I buried my nose in her hair.

"I love you," she sobbed, crying into my shoulder. "I was wrong and stupid to think you would ever cheat on me, and-"

I silenced her with a kiss.

"It's ok, love. I love you, too." I pulled her up the stairs; she followed me willingly, and I could feel her heart beat pounding through her wrist.

"I need to show you something," I said, reaching into a drawer and pulling out a wrapped package.

"Go on, open it." I knew what was inside, and I smiled.

"Oh, oh..." she gasped as she opened the box. I pulled her closer to me, both of us staring down at the ring as she gasped for breath.

"I - you, I - " she began, but I cut her off by sitting her down on our bed and sitting beside her.

"I've loved you since we were both at Hogwarts. I've watched you grow and change, going from hyperactive little kid to astonishing young woman. I love you too much to let you go; I love you more than anyone else in the world. And I know it's early, and I know we're still young. But I know, for certain, that I want to spend the rest of my life with you. There's no one else for me. You're it, and that's why..."

I slid off the bed and knelt down in front of her, watching as her eyes widened in shock and she tightened her clenched fists.

"Will you marry?"

"Yes, yes, _yes,_ of course I'll marry you! I'm sorry I didn't see it before, but I love you too much to let you go."

I wrapped my arms around her waist as I sat down beside her again, slipping the ring onto her finger.

"I love you so much," I whispered.

"I love you even more," she whispered back.

Everything was, once again, picture perfect.

* * *

><p>OK So if you didn't figure that out, it was Katie and Oliver (which is why it's in the KatieOliver collection...)

**Update as of 10/19/14**

One, thanks to Willowspring for the review, so sweet. :) Of course you're my friend. :)

Also, for anyone who actually read the previous author note (I edited it) sorry for those mistakes. I was half asleep and it didn't make any sense whatsoever.

**As of 10/21/14**

And that last paragraph. Holy crap how asleep was I.


	3. Hero

**Pirate Ship Competition: **Second Mate

Prompts:

_airbending_

_snow_

_slippers_

**KBOW**

**Countdown to Christmas Competition: **Preliminary Round

**Favorite Hogwarts House Boot Camp: **Gryffindor, 36. Snowflake

**Classic Disney Competition: **Bambi (write about childhood friends getting together)

**Fairy Tale Competition: **Snow White (write about someone who's saved by an unlikely force/person/etc)

**WC: 2,948**

**Warning: Muggle!AU (also maybe ten years later cuz #90's tv shows...)**

_Written for the Great Parenthetical Genius herself, Lizziebee_

* * *

><p><em>4 years old<em>

"Katie, come here! I want you to come with me and meet your new neighbors." Katie snuggled deeper into the couch, her eyes glued to the TV. The four year old was watching Avatar: The Last Airbender, and she couldn't be bothered to leave the comfort of her fort of blankets, so she ignored her mum and kept watching her heroes.

(Because every girl needs a hero, even unconventional ones, and at the moment, these were hers).

"Katie! I called for you!" Her mum was in the doorway now, holding a plate of cookies that practically glowed with warmth.

"But _Mummy! _I wanna see him airbend! He so good at it!" She whined, and her mum grinned, despite herself.

"Well, these neighbors have a little boy only a few years older than you. Maybe he can show you how to airbend."

Katie wrinkled her nose. "Ewww, Mummy, boys have _cooties!" _she cried, snuggling deeper into her blankets. But her mum simply laughed, pulling the little blonde munchkin from her nest.

"Up you get, Katie-kins. We're going a-traveling. So into your coat and boots you go!" Her mother said in a sing-songy voice, and she tickled her little girl until she laughed and cried.

Once they had finally made it outside into the snow, Katie wrapped her mittened hand into her mum's and hopped up and down. "Mummy, mummy, look at all the snow!" she shouted, giggling with glee. She stepped carefully in the unmarked patches, creating a slightly crooked line of footprints.

(It was four steps from her door to the gate, and she felt proud for counting to four).

"Come along, Katie. It's cold out here!" Her mum pulled her along quickly, and they walked to the neighbors' door, her mother knocking sharply.

(And even though she loved her mother very much, Katie couldn't help but feel sad that her mum had made her scuff up the snow).

* * *

><p>"Hello! I'm Melissa Bell, we live right next door. This is my daughter, Katie," she said, tugging the little blonde girl forwards.<p>

"I'm Roberta Wood," the woman said in a brusque Scottish accent. "It's so good to meet you. Would you like to go inside? My husband's taken my three oldest boys out, but Oliver's feeling a little under the weather today, so he stayed home," the woman said, smiling. "Honestly, I think it has more to do with what I'm baking than how sick he feels."

Mrs Bell laughed. "Katie's done that, too, although she usually just tries it for school. I've stopped telling her when I'm going to bake anything so she won't know when to "be sick"!"

The two mothers chuckled at the antics of their children. "Katie, dear, why don't you go introduce yourself to Oliver? I'm sure the two of you would love to play together."

Katie clung to her mum tightly. "I wanna stay here!" she whined.

"Oh, I'm sure he'd love to meet you. If I can drag him away from Avatar for long enough, that is," Mrs Wood said jokingly, and Katie perked up.

"Avatar? Where?"

"Come this way, dear," Mrs Wood said, laughing. "He'll be excited to find someone who loves it as much as he does."

(Katie didn't realize how easy it was to find a new hero).

* * *

><p><em>7 years old<em>

"Oliver, you _promised _you'd teach me how to do that new waterbending trick you showed me!" Katie whined, following the ten-year old closely.

He pushed her away. "I've got to go to football practice! I can teach you later."

Katie pouted, her face scrunching into lines that were only adorable on a seven year old. "But do you _promise _to teach me after practice?"

Oliver sighed, before nodding grudgingly. "Fine, I'll teach you that waterbending move. But only if you'll try scoring some goals on me. I want to practice my goalie skills - it might snow at the next game, and I want to be ready."

She leaped onto his back, laughing and hugging him. "Thanks Ollie! You're the best!"

(But even when he groaned and whined, he could never say no).

* * *

><p><em>9 years old<em>

"Ollie! You're home!"

Katie ran out of her house barefoot, her blonde hair streaming behind her as she tackled the now 12 year old Oliver. She'd been angry when he'd left for his first year of boarding school, but now that he was back, she couldn't help but miss him.

"Katie-kins! Did you get taller?" He asked, laughing. He set her back on her feet, and she bounced around him like a jumping bean.

"I did! I grew lots since Christmas! What's your shirt say?"

Oliver glanced down. "Oh, it says 'Gryffindor' on it. My boarding school separates us into four dorms by personality. I'm in Gryffindor Hall. Our mascot is a lion. It's the house for the brave and outgoing people."

Katie frowned. "That's such a weird name, Ollie. 'Gryffindor'."

"Well, it's not as weird as some of the other names! Our rival dorm is called 'Slytherin'. Their mascot is a snake."

Katie shuddered. "That's creepy. What do you think I'd be, Oliver?"

He smiled down at her. "A lion for sure."

(And even though he was a brave Gryffindor, he still couldn't say what he wanted to say).

* * *

><p><em>11 years old<em>

"Are you sure, Katie?"

Her mum sat in the driver's seat of the car, doing her best to smile at her daughter. But when you're sending your only daughter off to boarding school for the first time, it's a bit difficult to put on a brave face.

"You know I love you, Mummy," Katie said, opening the door and climbing out. "I'll see you at Christmas time. Oliver and I will come home then, we promise."

Mrs Bell sniffled as she followed her daughter into the train station. "I'll miss you so much dear," she said, and she hugged her daughter tightly, kissing her forehead and smoothing down her hair. "Write me letters every week, alright?"

Katie nodded. "Love you, Mummy. Don't cry, please!" she called, and then she was gone, skipping down the train station to find Oliver.

(But you can't help but cry when you realize your daughter doesn't love you best).

* * *

><p><em>12 years old<em>

"Hey, welcome to the team! I'm Angelina," the tanned girl said, smiling.

"And I'm Alicia!" the blonde jumped in, her curls bouncing. The girls were bright eyed and excited about getting another girl on the team, and they chattered all the way from the locker rooms to the football field. Katie was glad for this chatter, though, since she was a bit nervous about her first practice.

"We're the two midfielders, and the twins, Fred and George, are our two defenders. You're center forwards and Harry's the sweeper. Oliver is, of course, Captain and goalkeeper," Angelina explained.

"Yea, I know what Ollie does," Katie said absentmindedly, looking around the bright green field.

Angelina raised an eyebrow. "Ollie?"

Katie blushed. "Yea, that's what I call him. He's my next door neighbor. We've been friends since I was four."

Angelina and Alicia studied her closely, then smiled. "Well, it's good to finally meet the one and only 'Katie Bell', then. We've heard a lot about you."

(No one ever gets what they expect when they meet someone else's hero).

* * *

><p><em>14 years old<em>

"Oliver?"

All was completely quiet in the locker rooms, except for the pattering of the shower running.

(That's how she knows he's still alive).

"Oliver? I know you're here. Come out. Please. It's going to be ok," Katie called softly, and she tiptoed farther into the boy's locker room. She'd never been in this far before.

(She would go to the ends of the earth for Oliver, though. She'd go anywhere).

"Oliver...?" She finally reached the last shower, the only one running, and here she paused.

"At least tell me if you're dressed or not. I'm about to come in."

The curtain slowly slid open, and Oliver Wood revealed himself in all his miserable, wet dog-like glory.

Without a thought to her clothes or a single word spoken, Katie crawled in next to him.

(It's simple, really, how many problems can be solved by a hug and some true love).

* * *

><p><em>15 years old<em>

"WE DID IT! OLIVER, WE WON!" Katie jumped on her Captain's back, and Oliver laughed, spinning her around before tossing her unceremoniously onto the grass. She bounced up again like a puppy and hugged him tightly. This was the moment they had all worked towards, ever since she'd joined the team her second year.

"The Football Trophy is yours, Ollie! It's finally yours!" The entire team was celebrating, and no one noticed when Oliver kissed Katie on the cheek in joy.

(But it means everything to them, even though neither would admit it).

But later at the party, Katie found her Captain sitting on the porch of Gryffindor Hall, staring at the sunset with a slip of paper in his hand.

"Ollie? What's up? Why aren't you inside celebrating?"

He can't even answer her. Simply hands her the piece of paper and continues to stare into the distance.

_Dear Mr Wood,_

_We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted onto the English Football Team upon graduation from Hogwarts School for the Exceptional Student. Practices begin July 1st..._

_Sincerely, _

_Phillip Deverell, _

_Manager of English United_

"Oliver, that's wonderful! You're going National! It's absolutely amazing!" Katie smiled as she sat down next to her friend. "Why aren't you happy?"

"I am, Kates, but... I've spent seven years here. And I'll be leaving you and the rest of the team behind...I'm going to miss you loads, you know."

Katie snuggled into his shoulder, wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him tightly. "I'm going to miss you, too, but we'll stay in touch. We'll write letters and see each other over Christmas and build snowmen and..."

She paused, and then she turns her face to look at him uncertainly. "And maybe you could teach me that old earthbending trick? I think I might've forgotten it," she whispered.

He grinned at her in surprise. "Yea, sure I can. We'll make sure you know how to do it really well before I leave. Who knows when you'll need it."

They stay there, huddled, until the sun fully sets and the night creatures finally start to come out.

* * *

><p><em>16 years old<em>

_Dear Oliver, _

_THERE IS NO FOOTBALL THIS YEAR! I'm going absolutely stir crazy with pent up energy, and I'm solidly pissed that they've cancelled the Football tournament this year. But apparently we're having this 'inter-school' competition with two other boarding schools, so it's going to be too hectic hosting them and doing the tournament at the same time. At least they aren't bull-dozing the field or something. I can still go out and kick a few footballs around with Angelina and Alicia, even if we do have to freeze our arses off in the snow. _

_It's so hard, though, without a goalie to practice against. The three of us take turns being the goalie for the other two, but it's too difficult! I'd much rather score than defend. But I always did love that, didn't I? _

_In other words, thanks for the slippers. Haha. Slippers with the English football crest on it? Those were beautiful. Awesome. I may be wearing them right now. (You may never know!) But you didn't have to get me anything for my birthday, you know! I just wish I could've seen you. We got to go to Hogsmeade. It was such fun. :) The only thing that would've made it better would've been getting to see you. _

_Well, class starts in a few minutes, so I'd better go. Enjoy practice! _

_Lots of Love, _

_Your Katie-Kins_

**Dear Kit-Kat, **

**I get to play with David Beckham's right foot. Hell, I even get to play with his left foot. **

**I am dying of shock every day. **

**It's either that or exhaustion; at this point I can't tell. I wish you were here, though. **

**I'd write more, but I can barely stay awake right now. See you come Christmas, **

**Love from, **

**Ollie**

* * *

><p><em>17 years old<em>

The phone rang, and Mrs Bell picked it up with unease.

"Mrs Bell? This is Headmaster Dumbledore. There's been an emergency concerning your daughter. She was struck by a drunk driver returning from the local village this afternoon. We've rushed her to the hospital and they're working on stabilizing her as we speak, but we needed to inform you as soon as possible. Is there anyway you can come out this evening?"

"I'm on my way, Headmaster. Please keep her alive," Mrs Bell whispered into the phone, then grabbed her coat and rushed from the house.

(No one thought to tell Oliver that his hero was in a coma).

* * *

><p>"Hey, Kates," Oliver whispered. He stroked her hand carefully with his thumb, avoiding the scrapes and bruises. She was beaten, she was battered, but she was alive.<p>

(The hero always lives).

"I need you to wake up, Katie. You're my best friend. No, you're - you're more than my best friend. You're the girl I dream about at night, and the girl I want to wake up to every morning. You're sweet and charming and brave, and I wish I could tell you all this to your face, but I can promise you one thing: If you wake up, I'll tell you exactly how much I love you," he pleaded. He sat there with his head resting on the bed and his fingers intertwined loosely with hers, and he finally slept.

(But he didn't realize that the last thing to go is the hearing).

* * *

><p><em>Christmas<em>

It's twelve steps from Katie's couch to her front door. As soon as she hears Oliver come home, she reaches for her crutches and begins to move.

It takes two minutes to finally get to the door, another 45 seconds to turn the doorknob with her stiff fingers.

4 steps to the gate, the unmarked snow marred with a single line of one footprint and two holes on either side.

It's eight steps to his gate, and by the time she looks up from the ground to glance at his house, he's seen her and is standing at the right in front of her.

The two stare at each other for a second, cheeks red and flushed in the cold, snowflakes dropping gently on them from above.

Oliver thinks she looks like an angel, this golden haired girl with the dark red hat and the black wool coat. Even with crutches, the snowflakes adorn her lashes and turn her cheeks and lips rosy.

He still looks like her tall, handsome hero to her.

"Oliver."

"Hey, Kates. I'm... I'm glad to see you're feeling a lot better," he mumbles, shoving his hands in his pockets. She smiles a ghost of a smile, not the big grinning ones she used to have.

"Yea. I heard you visited me in the hospital when I was asleep."

He coughs. "Yea, I visited you... once or twice."

(More like every day).

"I thought... Well, you know, I could still hear some things when I was asleep, and I thought... Did you have something to tell me?"

He swallows, gathering his courage, before he slowly brushes the snow off her cheek, cupping her face in one of his warm hands.

"You look like an angel."

She blinks in surprise. "I'm covered in bruises and scars, Oliver. I do _not _look like an angel."

But all he does is shake his head no, still looking at her face as he'd never seen her before.

"You look more beautiful every time I see you. And... I've come to realize that even though I've always seen you as a best friend, I've grown to care more for you than that. And maybe this will scare you, but I want you to know that I promised I would tell you how much I loved you if you woke up."

She nods, her heart unknowingly pounding in time with his.

"I don't see you as a little sister or a platonic friend, Katie, like I should. I don't know if I ever really have. I just know that when I go to sleep and wake up, I want you to be the first and last thing I see. I want to be able to kiss you when I want and take you out on dates and do everything a couple should do. I want to play professional football with you as my center forward, and I want to grow old and die with you. Because I love you more than air and the sun and the moon and yes, even football, Katie Bell, and... I want you to be my girlfriend."

She's still in shock when he leans down to kiss her, but his cold lips wake her up, and he tastes of snow and chocolate and moonbeams. And when she kisses him back, she understands that she loves him more than the moon and stars and air and football as well.

(Everything is perfect when your hero finally saves you).


	4. Positive

**Pirate Ship Competition: **Captain

-Write over 2,000 words (**2,366) **

* * *

><p>"Negative." I sigh and push the pregnancy stick away from me, slumping on the floor of the bathroom. This is the third time we've tried, with no results. I've done so much research - when the prime fertilization window is, what position has the best effect... but nothing seems to be working. Whatever I try to do, I simply can't get pregnant.<p>

"Kates?" Oliver knocks on the door and opens it. He takes in the sight of me in my baggy sweatpants, sitting on the ground with the pregnancy stick sitting half a foot away. He must be able to read it in my face, because he sits down next to me, wrapping his big arms around my shoulders and pulling me into his chest.

"Oh, honey, it'll work, I promise. We just have to keep trying. Sometimes it's difficult for these things to happen. That doesn't mean that there's anything wrong with either of us," he says, turning my face towards him and staring deeply into my eyes.

I nod, tears pricking behind my lids as I bury my head into his chest. "It's just hard, you know? I really want a baby with you, Ollie, and I'm failing miserably at it. Merlin, Angie and George already have Fred and are expecting another baby, and Alicia and Lee are expecting, and I just feel like I'm behind them all!" By this point I'm sobbing, but my husband takes it all in stride, just squeezing me tighter to him.

"You're not failing, Kit-Kat. We'll have a baby, and he or she will have your beautiful blue eyes and my roguish grin and both our extremely sexy looks," he says, grinning, and I smile. My husband is perfect and wonderful, and he always knows exactly what to say to make me feel better.

"And, if you'd like, we could go to the Healer to see if there's anything we can do to help the process along? Only if you think that's a good idea, though."

I amend my previous statement.

"Oliver, I'm not sick. I just can't get pregnant!" I cry, sitting back with a frown. He hurriedly grasps my shoulders gently, running his hands down my arms to take hold of my hands.

"I know, love, I know. But if you want a baby sooner rather than later, it wouldn't hurt to talk to the mediwitch, just to see if there's anything we can do to speed the process along?"

I sigh. I know he's right, I just don't want him to be.

"I guess it's a good idea. I'll make an appointment. When's the next day you've got a day off Puddlemere?"

He kisses my head gently. "Don't worry about my schedule; Phil will understand. Plan it around your own practices and I'll come with you, alright?"

I nod, and he hugs me close again. "We'll figure this out. Soon you'll be a wonderful mum with a bouncing baby on your knee."

* * *

><p>He holds my hand tightly as we sit in the Healer's office. I'm on the end one of those tall, cushioned tables that you can lie back on, and he's sitting in a chair beside me. I swing my legs like a little kid and wait tensely in the silence.<p>

Who knew that going to the doctor to see if something was wrong with your body could be so miserable. It isn't the first time I've been in St. Mungo's for something serious - the killer event was the cursed necklace in seventh year - but it is definitely the scariest.

He squeezes my hand as the Healer comes in. "Mr and Mrs Wood! So good to see you," she says, beaming. "Let's see what we can do about making a baby Wood, hmm?"

I stifle a laugh as Oliver sits there, looking uncomfortable as hell. The Healer busies herself about me, having me lie down and pull my shirt up to reveal my stomach. She waves her wand over my abdomen, and all sorts of colored light wraps itself around me. It would be beautiful if not for the Healer's worried frown.

"My dear, have you ever severely injured yourself?"

I scoff. "I'm the center Chaser for the Holyhead Harpies, of course I have!"

She shakes her head. "I'm not talking about taking a Bludger to the stomach, dear. I'm talking about magic. Dark magic. Have you ever been harmed by Dark Magic? Perhaps during the war?"

My blood runs cold, and Oliver meets my eyes quickly, knowing exactly what I'm thinking of. "Yea, in my seventh year I touched a cursed necklace... I was in a coma in St. Mungo's for six months. But I woke up fine and returned to school later that year. Besides having to regain my strength back, I never retained any sort of lasting injury."

The Healer looks at me. "Dark magic will often leave a lasting imprint on a person's body. Sometimes it doesn't seem to affect them until something else comes up, like a pregnancy. Often times, it can make women infertile. I believe this is what has happened to you, Mrs Wood. Your connection to the curse nearly killed you, and it made you infertile. I'm very sorry, but you won't be able to have children."

All I can hear is the solitary pounding of my heart in my brain as my eyes tunnel onto one spot. I sit there in shock, not registering what else is said. I vaguely hear Oliver accepting something from her and thanking her, and then he takes my hand and leads me out. He Apparates me home, and it's then that I break.

"I can't do this Ollie!" I scream, running into the bathroom. I slam the door shut in his face, ignoring him as he knocks loudly.

"Katie!"

My tears blur the image in the mirror, this blonde girl with mascara streaked down her cheeks and laughing lines around her eyes. My face is blotchy from crying and snot is running from my nose, and I look terrible.

Terrible. Defective. Ugly. Useless. How would Oliver even stand to look at me again?

"Katie?"

He's opened the door, and I can see his reflection's eyes meet mine in the mirror. "Oh, Katie..." His arms wrap around me from behind, and I turn in them, clinging to him as I sob.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry, so sorry, Oliver, I didn't know... I'm useless, Ollie. There's no reason for me to be married anymore and..."

"Hush that talk right now Katherine Bell-Wood. I love you more than ever, even if you can't give birth to my children. I didn't marry you so we could have children; that was just a bonus. I married you because I love you more than the sun and moon and stars combined, and I want to be by your side every second of my remaining life."

I sob harder at this, and he hugs me to him.

We stand like that for hours, two broken people, drawing comfort from one another and trying to make ourselves whole once more.

* * *

><p>"Katie, we don't have to do this if you don't want to," Ollie says as we stop outside the orphanage. Once I'd calmed down, he'd showed me the brochures the Healer had given him - all of them about adopting a child. There are so many children left orphaned from the war that they're finding it difficult to find families to take them all. Oliver and I had decided that if we couldn't have our own children, we'd take care of one of the unfortunate children who lost their parents to the regime of darkness.<p>

Now that we're here, I'm slightly unsure if I can handle this. But the building is quaint and freshly painted, with a neat, albeit slightly shabby, look to it.

"I'm sure I want to do this, Oliver," I say firmly, marching up to the gate. "We can't change anything about our situation, so we might as well do what we can to change someone else's, right?"

He smiles at me, slipping his hand into mine and brushing his lips against my nose. "Aye, lass. You're absolutely right." His lips brush mine and he whispers, "You make me fall in love with you more and more each day." I shiver slightly, even though the day is warm, and we head inside, his arm wrapped around me.

"Hello! You must be Mr and Mrs Wood! I'm Matron Fitzpatrick." A stout woman shakes our hand with a smile. "I'm so glad you've come to visit us, the children will be very excited to see you. I'd like to speak to you before you meet them, though. Just to ask a few questions, you know." We nod and follow her into her office.

"Now, what age would you be interested in? We have very few infants, but there are many three and four year olds whose parents passed in the war. Of course, there are also children who are older and are almost at Hogwarts age."

I glance at Oliver, and he smiles at me, conveying his thoughts with a single glance. "We were thinking about the children who were orphaned by the war. It seems unfair that we both were lucky enough to survive, while their parents did not. It would be wonderful to meet some of them," I add, and Matron Fitzpatrick beams.

"That's lovely! Would you be more interested in a girl or a boy?"

I open my mouth to reply, and Oliver cuts me off quickly. "Girl, definitely." He looks at me sheepishly, and I grin.

That man is perfect.

Matron Fitzpatrick stands then, beckoning us to follow her. "I have just the girl for you, I think. She looks a bit like Mrs Wood, with bright blonde hair and blue eyes. Her parents were Aurors in the Final battle of Hogwarts, who were killed in action. She has no family, and she's very quiet around new people, but when she does open up, she's very energetic. And, what I think will be perfect for the two of you, she loves Quidditch."

We stop by a door to a bright room, and the Matron knocks before opening the door. There are three twin beds inside the bright room, and one of them is occupied by a little three year old girl, with bright blonde hair, blue eyes and cherub cheeks. She grins toothily at Matron Fitzpatrick, and hides behind her hands when she spots me and Oliver.

"Mr and Mrs Wood, I'd like you to meet Emma..."

* * *

><p>"Thank you so much Matron Fitzpatrick!" I grin around the phone at Oliver, and he grins back at me. When I hang up, he grabs me and twirls me around, laughing.<p>

"We're going to be parents, Oliver. Parents!" He sets me down and lightly kisses me.

"Aye, and you're going to make the best mum ever, Kitty-Kat."

I sigh into his arms, snuggling in tight. "It's going to be so odd having another person around the house. No more mid-afternoon shags on the couch, young man," I say teasingly, and Oliver gets a roguish twinkle in his eye.

"Well... since we're going to be missing out on the opportunity soon, why don't we make use of that while we still can?" He picks me up, quickly sweeping me off my feet, and I shriek with laughter as I cling to his neck. He kisses me deeply as he carries me over to our couch, and I hum deeply in my throat.

We don't get off that couch for hours...

* * *

><p>Emma swings her legs as she sits at the table, her eyes lighting up when Oliver sets a plate of bacon down before her. She's been here three weeks, but she still finds it remarkable living here. She asks to call us 'Mummy' and 'Daddy', and we've taken her to our respective Quidditch practices, showing her off to both our teams. The Harpies girls send me boxes of Harpy jumpers, and the Puddlemere team sends us all sorts of merchandise to dress our child in. Emma giggles and tries them all on, often mixing the Puddlemere blue with the Harpies' green in a walking contradiction. She's dressed in snitch pajamas now, and Oliver and I plan on taking her shopping for a toy broom today.<p>

The smell of the bacon hits my nose, causing my stomach to lurch and bile to rise up my throat. I clamp a hand over my mouth in shock, bolting towards the bathroom at the command of some primal trait. I barely make it to the toilet before I hurl my entire breakfast.

My hands shake as I kneel over the toilet, confusion trailing its way through my brain. I scrummage through the cupboard below our sink to see if I have any left...

"Katie? Are you alright?" Oliver calls through the closed door.

"Yea, I'll be fine. I'll be out in a moment, alright?"

I tap my fingers impatiently as I wait the allotted two minutes it needs to find results. Finally, when I look down at it, I gasp in shock.

My hand is trembling as I wrench the door open, walking back into the kitchen, still holding the stick.

"Katie? What's happened? What's wrong love?" Oliver's voice is urgent, worried, and I hold the stick out to him.

"It was a complete accident, Oliver."

He looks me in the eyes, not daring to look himself. "What does it say, Katie? What is it?"

I look at him for a long moment, then grin.

"Positive."


End file.
